Titan
Titan is the largest moon of Saturn. It is the only moon known to have a dense atmosphere, and the only object in space other than Earth where clear evidence of stable bodies of surface liquid had been found. Titan is the sixth ellipsoidal moon from Saturn. Frequently described as a planet-like moon, Titan is 50% larger than Earth's Moon, and it is 80% more massive. It is the second-largest moon in the Solar System, after Jupiter's moon Ganymede, and is larger than the smallest planet, Mercury, but only 40% as massive. Discovered in 1655 by the Dutch astronomer Christiaan Huygens, Titan was the first known moon of Saturn, and the sixth known planetary satellite (after Earth's Moon and the four Galilean moons of Jupiter). Titan is primarily composed of water ice and rocky material. Much as with Venus before the Space Age, the dense opaque atmosphere prevented understanding of Titan's surface until new information from the Cassini–Huygens mission in 2004, including the discovery of liquid hydrocarbon lakes in Titan's polar regions. The geologically young surface is generally smooth, with few impact craters, although mountains and several possible cryovolcanoes have been found. The atmosphere of Titan is largely nitrogen; minor components lead to the formation of methane and ethane clouds and nitrogen-rich organic smog. The climate—including wind and rain—creates surface features similar to those of Earth, such as dunes, rivers, lakes, seas (probably of liquid methane and ethane), and deltas, and is dominated by seasonal weather patterns as on Earth. Colonization of Titan was a reasonably simple task, with a longstanding belief that this moon of Saturn was one of our primary candidates for being as Earthlike as possible. The first operations undertaken by the Coalition were a development of ‘oxygen generators’ to fill the nitrogen rich atmosphere with breathable oxygen. Built in areas rich with liquid water beneath the surface, or volcanoes that had been discovered to expel large quantities of it into the atmosphere, the generators captured the liquid water supply of Titan and separated the hydrogen and oxygen, filtering it into the atmosphere. Over time, this balanced out the gases in the atmosphere of Titan similar to the ratio of Earth’s atmosphere (78.09% nitrogen, 20.95% oxygen, 0.93% argon, 0.04% carbon dioxide, and a small amount of other gases). The hydrogen is converted to helium, and expelled to increase the overall temperature of the planet to make it hospitable. Titan also benefits from the vast, scooper-ship based mining industry of Saturn’s rings. The water harvested from the rings is kept in large reservoirs on the moon, used for all the basic purposes of life, as well as helping maintain the atmosphere. The Dominion, after seeing the value in the colonization efforts, even funded the great breakthroughs in gravity generation technology, as generating a higher level of artificial gravity was required for people to live on the moon’s surface. The mining of Saturn’s rings, as well as various operations dealing directly with harvest resources from the gas giants, Titan is a shining jewel of manufacturing and trade. The moon is known to be the home of the infamous ‘trade princes’, which have profited extremely well off of Saturn’s resources and amassed a vast amount of wealth. Using this wealth, they quickly built up the budding colony’s infrastructure, including several large spaceports and investing highly in shipping potential. Exclusive, highly lucrative contracts with Unity followed, further enriching these trade princes, who also become a council of governors for all Saturn-based colonies. This has made them even richer and more powerful, and the Dominion benefits greatly from the flow of resources and credits from Titan. Cities Chronos The capital of Titan is the city of Chronos, a vast metropolis built on the shores of a methane sea. From afar, one can see the sparkling white tower of Chronos and know that civilization is close at hand. The sprawling city itself takes the shape of a crescent moon along the coast, with the buildings growing lower as one reaches the waters. A large wall surrounds the city, a system of automated turrets providing a very robust system of defense. The city is divided into a grid for easy navigation, with each district having its own architectural look and feel to assisting in differentiation. The Commercial and Entertainment District, home of shops and mega-malls, rages with extravagantly constructed buildings and blaring neon lights to draw in shoppers with sheer curiosity. A number of famous fashion designers have based their lines out of Chronos, selling their wares year round upon the moon while only releasing them in limited batches across the system. This encapsulates the exclusivity of the shopping experience on Titan, a bastion of high-end goods that are rarely seen outside of the system’s rich and important. The Residential District is made up of thousands of identical homes, with only a set amount of floor plans available, organized into ‘tiers’ of wealth. Tier one homes, while small, offer luxury on a budget, with very modular and multi-use furniture that can be stored within compartments built into the walls when not in use. Tier two homes are somewhat larger, including a sizeable front yard area and typically a second floor. Tier three homes are large, extravagant abodes with both a front yard and backyard, typically fenced off for privacy, and even the smallest ones are twice the size of the largest tier two homes. Tier two and three homes are extremely expensive, overtly luxurious, and speak to the excess of the wealthy elite. Quality of life, however, is among the highest in the entire system even among less wealthy residents. There is, however, no space for the poor. Anyone who wishes to live on Titan must go through a lengthy registration process, including an assessment of income and assets. If your income or total worth fall below the threshold, you are barred from living within the walls of Chronos. Those that suffer this fate typically live in smaller communities outside the city, or on one of the other moons of Saturn. The Administrative district sits in the center of the city, housing government buildings as well as the three iconic white spires of Chronos: The Pillars. Their function is unknown, as it requires a level of clearance to enter, with only the trade princes themselves and their high ranking Dominion associates ever entering or leaving. Some speculate that these buildings simply act as the ‘palaces’ for these so called ‘princes’. Other conspiracy theorists believe in a much more sinister and complicated set of purposes, but they are mostly discounted. The administrative district is also home to the Sol News Network, a popular news outlet that broadcasts across the system through a set of highly advanced satellites. After war ravaged many of Earth’s cities, the network decided to move to Chronos for safety and security that only money could buy. The Marina district is the innermost district, running along the coast. The ocean is made of methane, which of course means it is not meant for swimming. Methane is less dense than water, making it difficult to propel oneself. Instead, special methane-capable ships were developed to sail these waters, creating sea based shipping lanes to other smaller, forming cities on the coast, as well as a building of methane-farming platforms on the water’s surface. The Trade Princes also occasionally sail out on their enormous yachts, throwing lavish events for Dominion officials upon the calm methane waters. Category:Moons